The sheriff's office said flushing pills down the toilet or throwing them in the trash is more dangerous than people think.

Disposing of them safely is a way to make sure the wrong pills don't end up in the wrong hands.

"Children and grandchildren don't get a hold of them if they're just laying in the house," Deputy Sheriff Leon Brown said. "People that have bad intentions can take them out of your garbage and sell them, so this is preventing the pills from getting into hands that they shouldn't be."

The DEA picked up the pills to recycle them in their own facility.

Last year, the county sheriff's office collected almost 1,000 pounds of pills.